TRIBUTES have been paid to former Brecon and Radnor MP Lord Livsey of Talgarth who has died at his Brecon home at the age of 75.

The former Welsh Liberal Democrat leader represented Brecon and Radnor as am MP for 11 years - from 1988-92 and again from 1997-01- and was made a life peer in 2002. He also campaigned keenly for devolution and his voice is said to have been one of the loudest in the lead up to the historic referendum, which paved the way for the Welsh Assembly.

Among those paying tribute to Richard Livsey were Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, who said he had been respected by consitutents and fellow politicians alike.

"Richard was a kind and thoughtful man who was respected by both constituents and colleagues of all parties. He was a highly regarded member of the House of Lords - a passionate Welshman who fought for his ideals all his life. He was a true Liberal and a compassionate voice for Wales," said Mr Clegg.

Tribute was also paid by current Lib Dem leader Kirsty Williams who said Lord Livsey would be remembered as a champion for Welsh rural communities.

"Richard Livsey was a man of immense honour and decency who was loved and respected by his constituents, colleagues and by politicians of all parties," said Ms Williams. "He will be remembered particularly as a champion for the rural communities in which he lived and an expert on agriculture, which he worked in all his professional life.

"As Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, he was a passionate advocate for Welsh devolution. His role in achieving a 'Yes' vote in the 1997 referendum establishing the National Assembly for Wales will be long remembered," said Ms Williams.

The Right Reverend John Davies – Bishop of Swansea & Brecon, who had known Lord Livsey since serving as the Dean of Brecon, described him as a 'hard working servant of others' and said his loss to his family could not be underestimated.

"I pray their loss will be made the easier to bear by the assurance of the high regard in which Richard was held by those who had the privilege of knowing him," he said.

"Everything that I have ever known, been told or believed about Richard Livsey has been borne out by the fine tributes which have been paid to him following his death. That being so, it might seem superfluous to add to those tributes. However, in doing so I am not adding unnecessary words, but properly emphasising his admirable qualities and record of public service.

"Despite holding public positions of great importance as both an MP and member of the House of Lords, positions in which he was regarded by his colleagues as both hard-working and possessed of great humanity and integrity, Richard was always firmly rooted in the local communities of the area from which he came.

"As an MP, it was the well-being of his constituents which motivated him and in all else that he did, he sought to bring benefit to the lives of others. This he did without fuss or bluster, but with a quiet determination to see justice done. Justice for Rural Communities, properly understood, and justice for the life of Wales, properly devolved but properly integrated into the life of the United Kingdom were of special concern to him and reflected his own life-long interest in rurality - he was a farmer at heart – and his innate Welshness.

At a local level, Richard was always an enthusiastic supporter of any initiative that aimed to sustain or improve the life of the communities of what became the Brecon and Radnor parliamentary constituency, and he would readily lend his name to such initiatives. I was personally very grateful to him when, as Dean of Brecon, I invited him to become one of the Vice-Presidents of the Brecon Cathedral Choir Endowment Appeal which aimed not only to keep the Cathedral's music alive but also to develop a love of music in the lives of choristers newly-recruited from schools in and around Brecon. Richard did not hesitate to accept and he periodically wrote generous letters of support for what was being achieved.

Richard's kindly smile and warm disposition reflected the nature of the man. I do not hesitate to pay warm tribute to this kindly, hard-working servant of others. In doing so, I do not underestimate the great loss which will be felt by his family, a loss which I pray

Brought up in Talgarth, Brecon, Lord Livsey joined the Liberals in 1960 and fought four general elections unsuccessfully before entering Parliament. He lost the redrawn Brecon & Radnorshire seat in 1992, but returned to the Commons as MP for the constituency from 1997-2001.

A farmer by trade, he was president of the Wales European Movement, trustee of the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales and chairman of the Brecon Jazz Festival, as well as a member of the Talgarth Male Voice Choir. He was married to Irene and had two sons and one daughter.